Tank Capacity Question

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fightins86

AC Members
Aug 5, 2012
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Hello --

Just added some plants to my 36 gallon tank, and am thinking about expanding the population in there.

Currently has 13 fish:
-5 odessa barb
-1 clown loach
-1 angel
-1 algae eater
-1 red wag platy
-1 cory catfish
-1 hatchetfish
-1 gourami
-1 bala shark

I also have a 5-6 gallon tank at work stocked with 2 platys and 1 cory. For various reasons I don't have the tank anymore and my cat at home has been impossible to keep out of it and keep spilling stuff everywhere.

Ideally I'd like to merge the 2 tanks into 1 but I'm not sure if adding 3 more fish is going to create problems or not. I just added some plants the other day and I'd like to wait a couple weeks to make sure they take hold, but am I okay merging these 2 tanks? Or is that really going to push the envelope in terms of what the tank can handle? Not the end of the world if it cant happen...

EDIT (added parameters)

Nitrate - 20
Nitrire - .5
Hardness - soft
Chlorine - 0
Alk - 40
ph - 7.2

Nitrates keep coming back 20 -- I'm doing more water changes each week (just under 50%) and trying to feed them a little less
 
0tto

0tto

AC Members
Oct 24, 2010
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your nitrite level worries me a little. Although low, any amount of nitrite will cause stress to your fish. I would look into resolving that issue before adding anymore fish
 
Glabe

Glabe

River Rat
May 10, 2011
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The first thing you need to address is the nitrite at .5, which is toxic. what is the ammonia level? I hope it's 0 since you didn't include it =)

this may be bad advice, but here's what i would do. skip feedings, maybe once every other day for the time being. do a couple more water changes and OD with Seachem Prime try knock out those nitrites. then combine the two tanks. take the filter from the 5 gallon, and slap that onto the 36 also for the near future. during all this, try to rehome the clown loach and bala shark. they're both large growing schooling fish. you'll probably have to rehome them someday anyway, it's just a nice coincidence that getting rid of them asap will help you with your current problems :)
 
Last edited:
shloken38

shloken38

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Apr 24, 2012
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And nitrates are fine at that level. Water changes will keep that at bay. Once your plants become established, they will help with that also. Technically, your nitrates can be up to 40, but you should keep them around 20 or lower.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Josh
What are you testing with by the way? I definitely agree not to add anything until your params stabilize.

Your current stocking isn't ideal for a few reasons. Hopefully you have a plan for the clown and bala in the future since they will eventually get too large, but also keep in mind that they prefer at least small-ish groups. Same goes for Corys and hatchets as well with about 5-6 being the minimum for either IMO.

What species of "algae eater" and gourami do you have currently?
 
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fightins86

AC Members
Aug 5, 2012
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Chinese algae eater and blue gourami I believe?

I've had both the bala and the loach for over a year now with no significant problems

EDIT: testing with tetra 6 in 1 easy strips


This has been a very stable tank. I had a brief fungal infection a month or so ago that Melaflix took care of. Survived a move from one apt to another.. Haven't lost a fish in 13 months I just don't want to tempt fate...
 
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fightins86

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Aug 5, 2012
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Current plan to clear this up is feed them less and do weekly 30-40% WC. Hopefully this will take care of the nitrate/nitrite problems?
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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I doubt others would disagree with me when I say that 1) strips are inaccurate 2) if there is actually nitrite that means your tank is not stable and 3) a single clown loach and bala in that tank would widely be considered inappropriate stocking, especially in the long term.

Realistically you're looking at a much larger tank in the future if you want to keep that stock and then add to it correctly.

In the short term I would get a liquid test kit and retest. In the mean time keep that nitrite as low as possible, which would likely mean more than weekly water changes.
 
S

stevencaller

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Sep 19, 2012
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aquaristmagazine.com
I think you need to increase your filter capacity. Your fish seem to be reasonable choices for a 36 gallon tank but to have nitrite present in your tank is not a good sign. It suggests that your fish are producing more waste than your filter can handle. Try upgrading your filter first to a fairly beefy external one before adding more fish.

Adding more fish as things stand may worsen your nitrite situation.
 
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